Blue Study
by Kiyyt
Summary: Accidents happen to those who least expect it.
1. Must Be Dreaming

Author's Note: Yes, I'm back in the game. Well, when I saw the first few episodes of Kyle XY this season, I couldn't help but wonder. What if Kyle had been in the car during the "accident". Hence this story came into existence. The chapters after this should be longer…hopefully.

Chapter 1

Darkness enveloped around the shadowy, country roads as a small silver car darted around turn after turn. The halogen headlights of the car illuminated the Connecticut wilderness, while inside the car a family of three continued their rush home. Asleep in the back seat was a teenage boy of sixteen years. His mother, who was in the front passenger seat, turned around and gave the sleeping boy a loving glance before turning back to face the tranquil night in front of her. The tranquility of the moment was suddenly shattered by the squeal of tires against the pavement, a shrill scream, and then the sickening crunch of metal against itself.

Meanwhile, clear across the country, in Seattle, Washington, Nicole Trager woke up screaming.


	2. Warning

Author's Note: Well, I forgot to mention last chapter that the titles of the chapter are from either lyrics from songs or titles of songs from my itunes playlist. The last chapter was the song "Must Be Dreaming" by Frou Frou. This chapter is "Warning" by Incubus.

And as much as I hate time skips (however minor) within a chapter, this one was necessary.

Still a bit on the short side, but I guess I'm improving length-wise.

Strangely enough, at the moment I am in Connecticut.

Thanks To:

HPSmallCharm29: Thank you so much! Hopefully, I can continue updating quickly. Thanks again!

Chapter 2

Nicole Trager sat in her bed, running her fingers through her cropped blonde hair. The vivid nightmare from nearly twenty minutes ago still replayed in her mind. Although the initial shock of the dream had worn off long ago, the horrifying resolution of it still lingered.

"Nicole," the deep voice of her husband began "are you okay?"

"I'm fine" she replied, her voice betraying her.

"No. You're not. That must've been one helluva dream you had."

"Please, Stephen, it was just a dream. A horrible, horrible dream. Go back to bed." Nicole muttered before rolling over and trying to get back to sleep for the hundredth time that night.

-The Next Morning-

Nicole's lack of sleep the previous night did not go unnoticed by the rest of the Trager family.

"You look awful, Mom" Nicole's teenage daughter, Lori stated.

"Yeah, you look like the living dead" Josh's voice agreed as he entered the room.

And their statements were not far from the truth. Their mother's normally tidy hair was disheveled and knotted, her eyes puffy and red surrounded by dark rings. The tell tale signs of insomnia had been becoming increasingly obvious in the past few weeks, and everyone knew the reason.

"It's Kyle again, isn't it?" Lori questioned as she poured a glass of orange juice.

"Yeah, but it was different this time. It felt like…a warning of some kind. Like something bad happened," Nicole admitted fearfully.

"Well, like you said, it was just a nightmare" Stephen attempted to comfort.

"But it felt so real."

The piercing ring on the telephone suddenly and loudly interrupted the moment of the family's collective sadness at the loss of one of their own.

"Now, who on Earth would call this early in the morning on a weekday?" Nicole mumbled as she wiped her tearing eyes, before walking off to answer the phone.

She glanced at the caller ID screen on the base of the telephone and her face brightened a bit as she read "Connecticut 203-…". She hurriedly picked up the receiver and put it to her ear.

"Hello?"

The Trager family watched in confusion as the look on her face turned from one of joy to one of utter horror as she hung up the phone moments later.

"It's Kyle," Nicole stuttered, her face visibly pale.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked panicking.

"He's been in an accident"

" Is he alright?" Stephen inquired, automatically fearing the worst.

And as Nicole shook her head "no", the glass of juice in Lori's hand fell to the ground and shattered into tiny fragments, much like everyone's hearts.


	3. Sing For The Tears

Author's Note: Well, you can thank Blaze (my cousin's dog) for the quick updating. Whenever I'm writing, he comes in and lays down on my feet, forcing me to keep typing because he's a big dog and he knows he weighs more than me. This song is a lyric from "Dream On" by Aerosmith.

Thanks to:

HPSmallCharm29: Actually, I did change the title. I was listening to my music and the song "Blue Study" by Stone Sour just seemed to fit better. Thanks for reviewing, and I'll continue to write for as long as this dog is holding me hostage XD.

Chapter 3

"What?" Lori asked disbelievingly

"Is he…" Stephen began nervously, already terrified of the answer.

Once again, Nicole shook her head, as tears sprang into her eyes.

"He's alive, but just barely." She sobbed.

The family sat in shock as they absorbed the tragic news. All sense of time was lost, and before anyone could comprehend the passing of time, it was eight o' clock.

" Josh and Lori go ahead and go to school. We'll pick you up in a few hours. We need to get some plane tickets." Stephen commanded, his voice strained with unshed tears.

The two teens nodded and turned to leave, without uttering a word. Both had certain people in mind who they were positive would want to know about Kyle's situation.

In the kitchen, a fevered dash to pack for the family's hurried departure began.

With the Trager children things were not much better. Both teens now were responsible for telling Kyle's friends about his accident, and they were not looking forward to breaking the news.

The journey to school was made in silence, both children dazed and in shock. Upon arrival at the high school, Lori and Josh wordlessly climbed out of the car and came to a silent agreement. They'd do this together. They were a family. And they'd be damned if they were going to sit by idly and watch a family member die.


	4. Words I Cannot Say

-Newly Edited-

New and refurbished! Anywho, sorry this one took so long. I totally forgot about a wedding that I'm supposed to be going to this weekend, so I've been running about trying to make last minute preparations (ex: dress adjustments). Something kinda funny that happened was, Blaze finally moved and I went to sleep, caught my flight to N. Carolina, got to the farm, only to sit down with my computer to have Nelly (John's dog) sit on my feet, once again forbidding motion.

Thanks to:

HPSmallCharm29: I guess I'm just on a roll today. That and Blaze is forbidding me from moving so I might as well keep going. Thanks so much!

(1) Maybe I'm the only one who does this, but when I'm nervous, upset, or confused, I run my fingers through my hair. Josh is doing this because of a combination of emotions.

Chapter 4

First on the mental checklist was Amanda. To Josh and Lori it seemed right to tell her first. After all, they were best friends.

"Amanda," Lori began nervously, as she stood behind the blonde girl.

"Oh, hey Lori, hey Josh," she smiled, oblivious to the tense air surrounding them.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, her smile beginning to falter, noticing the still somber expressions on the Trager sibling's faces.

"Kyle was in an accident," Josh mumbled, running his hand through his hair (1).

"Oh...God."

"But he's all right. Isn't he?" Amanda half sobbed.

"No," Lori began before being interrupted by a choked sob from Amanda.

"He's alive, but he's not doing too well," she continued, almost crying herself.

The two could offer little comfort as Amanda turned and fled to the girl's bathroom, tears streaming down her face.

She'd pull herself together; she had to get through the day. But when she got home, she climbed in the bathtub, clutched the necklace Kyle had given her, and cried herself to sleep sobbing "Why him?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Declan took the news better than anyone else so far had. He had been Kyle's closest friend and confidante, so Josh and Lori were extremely worried about how he would react.

"What?" he had asked disbelievingly.

"He's in a coma, Declan" Lori muttered sadly.

The look on Declan's face abruptly became one of distress to one of…nothing. His face held no emotion whatsoever, but his eyes told the entire story. He was just as shocked and scared as the rest of them.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

By no means did Charlie _like_ Kyle Trager, Noah Peterson, or whatever the hell his name is. He didn't like him, but he couldn't help but to respect him. No matter how much Charlie, or anyone else for that matter, _hated_ him; he was still kind to them. Respect would probably be the extent of any relationship with Kyle.

When Charlie heard the news, all he could do was stand there numbly. He _hated_ Kyle so much, but why did it hurt so much? And as the pain and emotion completely overwhelmed him, Charlie Tanner wept.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hillary could always tell when something was wrong with her friends. At the moment something major was on everyone's mind.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" she greeted cheerfully.

The silence that she received as an answer only reinforced her original thoughts,

"Guys, seriously. What is it? You're starting to freak me out."

As the Tragers relayed the information given to them that morning, Hillary felt her eyes water and her heart break. Kyle was an angel. And it just didn't seem right that he could die.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"There's only one person left to tell," Lori stated solemnly.

"Who?" Josh inquired.

"Deichman"

"Why?"

"Because Kyle was…is his friend too."

With that brief exchange Lori and Josh turned to find the school's resident geek. The task was not as difficult as expected; Deichman was leaned against his locker reading some obscure comic book that surely neither of them had ever heard of. Lori cleared her throat and the startled teen looked up.

"Uh, is there something, you, uh, need?" Deichman stuttered, clearly flustered. After all, it wasn't every day that beautiful, popular girls like _Lori Trager _just came out of the blue to talk to _him. _

"It's Kyle," Lori began, her eyes tearing for the thousandth time that day alone.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked, quickly becoming frightened by the young woman's emotional outbreak.

"He's in the hospital." She cried, tears beginning to stream down her face.

"What happened?"

"He was riding in the car with his parents, they crashed"

"Oh my God, is he alright?"

"Not really. He's listed in severe condition in intensive care."

"Oh…no." Deichman whispered in anguish, sliding to the ground.

"I know."

"I…I just talked to him two days ago. How could this have happened?" He sobbed, oblivious to strange looks from passerby.

Just as Josh was about to say something, most likely words of comfort to the distraught boy, the bell signaling the beginning of classes sounded. Deichman shakily stood up, and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Sorry about that," he choked out still visibly upset. "I guess…I'm gonna get to class. Please…keep me updated."

Lori nodded silently before the three parted ways, everyone wondering if the next time they spoke would carry news and whether it would be better or worse.


	5. Life Ain't Promised

Well, this past week has been crazy. My older "sister" got married the other day, and let me tell you, wedding weeks are hectic. Between hair, nails, dress alterations, etc. I thought I'd go insane. Imagine how my sis felt. Any-ho, sorry about the long wait. Chapter 4 has been revamped, and it's a lot longer.

This chapter required a boatload of research. All hail wikipedia. Pretty much all the medical stuff in here is true.

Thanks to:

Zodiac4x: Thanks for taking the time to review! In the show, Deichman's one of my favourite characters, and I just want to see more of him.

HPSmallCharm29: I took your advice and added almost everyone I could think of who would react, turns out that was exactly what it needed. Thank you so much!

Also thanks to: Piston4Life, BacktoBedlam, Debatra, WildCat9221, ChRsTiNe17, storylover1992, and HPSmallCharm29 for putting me on your alerts list. I really appreciate it, guys.

Chapter name comes from the song "The Good Die Young " by Tupac (2pac). Good song, I don't usually listen to much rap, but I'd honestly recommend at least listening to this song. It's sad because what he's talking about is true.

Chapter 5: Life Ain't Promised

The five and a half hour flight to Connecticut was horrible to say the very least. The Tragers' feeling of their inability to do anything had finally caught up with them, and it was replaced by a deep sense of longing. Longing for this all to be a nightmare; however this was one nightmare that no one would be waking up from because it wasn't the type that plagued their unconscious minds, it was one that was all too real. It _was_ real.

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

The ride to the hospital seemed only seconds long compared to the lengthy flight, but as the automatic doors slid to the hospital slid open the walk to reception suddenly seemed much longer than everything else. The brunette receptionist glanced up at the Trager family.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"ICU?" Steven mumbled, unable to form a complete sentence.

The look on her face changed to one of sympathy.

"Second floor. Turn left when you get off the elevator."

"Thank you," he replied as the family slowly trudged to the elevator.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kyle's condition was worse then anyone could have anticipated. His normally clear, blue eyes were closed, giving the misleading delusion of a peaceful sleep. Tubes and wires ran in and out of his body making him seem small and vulnerable. The constant, yet irregular beeping of the heart monitor gave the entire scene a surreal appearance as they monitored their son and brother through the glass.

"Why can't we go in there?" Josh asked sadly.

"They're worried he'll get an infection," Nicole replied, never taking her eyes off of Kyle.

They continued to watch him. After a while no one knew how long they had been there. Hours, minutes, and seconds all blended together making one long, painful eternity that lasted all too long.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

In reality the Tragers had only been standing in the room for about five minutes before a young doctor walked in.

"Nicole and Steven Trager?" he asked tentatively.

Said adults turned to face the young man.

"My name is Dr. Foreman, and I'm the doctor in charge of the ICU here."

"How's he doing?" Nicole

"Well, that's what I've come to talk to you about." He replied, albeit a bit hesitantly, giving a glance at Josh and Lori.

"Josh, Lori, go call the school and tell them where we are," Steven demanded.

Recognizing this as a time not to argue, Josh and Lori nodded and left to go find a phone.

"Okay. Now, Noah…or Kyle… was in the back seat of the car during the accident. He wasn't wearing a seat belt at the time of impact, so he was thrown sixteen feet from the car through the windshield," the doctor began.

Seeing the horrified looks on Steven and Nicole's face, he paused briefly and gave a look of sympathy and understanding to the two before continuing.

" Not wearing his seat belt was probably what saved his life. If he had stayed in the back seat, he would have been crushed," he continued.

"Now, about his condition. In the accident he lost about half of his blood. The majority of the blood in the car was his. He's going to need a blood transfusion soon."

"Wait, why haven't you done that yet?"

"Well, Kyle not only has blood type O negative, but he's also RhD negative."

"What does that mean?"

"84 percent of the world's population is RhD positive. RhD positive blood cannot be put into Kyle's body or else it could cause a severe reaction. That combined with the fact that the blood has to be O negative, it severely limits the blood that can be transfused. Now, the needed type of blood is available, but it's in a blood bank in Tennessee. We're in the process of getting it sent up here, but at the very earliest it'll be here tomorrow morning."

"How will he survive until then?"

"His body fluids are being replaced by a lab engineered replacement, but that'll only last for so long. Theoretically, he could survive with the fluids alone, but he'd have to have transfusions every month. It's much better to keep him on it only until we can get the blood we need."

The doctor took a deep, shaky breath before once again continuing.

"As I was saying, Kyle is very lucky to be alive, right now. In addition to blood loss, he also received extensive head trauma, fractured four ribs, broke one rib, broke his wrist, and cracked his tibia, not to mention various cuts and bruises"

"My God," Nicole gasped.

"And there's something else. The impact of the crash collapsed his left lung and caused his broken rib to pierce the lower chamber of his heart. He already went through emergency surgery to fix that, but at the moment his chances of survival aren't all that great."

"Well, what are the odds he'll wake up?"

"Less than ten percent."


	6. Just To Make It Through

AN: Woo. I managed to get to my computer. My family came up from

Pensacola and they're stating with us. So we have fifteen people in the house. 'Tis fun though. Unfortunately, school starts next Monday for me, so I'll try to update as much as possible before then. And then, as much as possible during the first few weeks.

-To clarify this chapter: the reactions are spaced out through time. It's been a few days since the Tragers first arrived-

Thanks to:

HPSmallCharm29: Actually, I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do to Kyle yet. I think I have an idea though…

WildCat9221: Ouch. Was he okay? I pretty much used the injuries my friend Noodle got from falling out of a tree.

FiveForFighting09: Thanks! And thanks for the review!

.……………………………………………………………………………………………...

"Breath" by Breaking Benjamin

Chapter 6: Just To Make It Through

"Only a two percent chance," Lori repeated numbly.

The youngest of the family were having just as difficult of a time comprehending this newest development as their parents did only minutes before.

"Isn't there something…anything anyone can do to help him?"

"Dr. Foreman said that if Kyle pulls through his critical state, the blood transfusion will increase his chances by about ten percent," her mother all but whispered.

"Only ten percent?"

The reply posed as an unspoken question, "Will Kyle pull through this?" At the moment, the answer was uncertain and time was of the essence.

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Dr. Foreman couldn't explain why this _one_ patient was affecting him so much. He had seen crash survivors in similar positions, but this boy was different. Maybe it was the way his _non_family had immediately hopped on the next plane clear across the country, just to be by his side. Maybe it was how his friends, on the opposite coast, were constantly calling to know his status. Or maybe it was because he was young. A teenage boy with a troubled past who always looked on the bright side of life, from what he had gathered.

He stood by the young man's bedside, taking his vitals for what seemed like the hundredth time. _No change, still critical_, he thought with a mental sigh.

As he turned to leave the room, he couldn't help but quietly ask whoever was listening, "Why does it have to end like this?"

But, alas, there was no reply.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

No matter what any doctor said Josh was not willing to believe that the one he looked up to, and had come to love as a brother, was dying in a hospital.

_He's not dying._ He thought to himself. _He's going to wake up and we can all go home together. _However ridiculous and naïve this sounded. He wanted to believe it. To believe that everything would be okay. _It's such an idealistic belief, but I need it to be true. It has to be…_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

All Lori could do was sit in the waiting room waiting for news_. It feels awful not knowing whether he's doing better or not,_ she thought absently. No matter how much she wanted to rush to his side and cry, she knew she couldn't. _Being in contact with carriers of germs, especially those from the school would only make him worse._ For now, all she could do was wait.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

His eyes darted around the reception area, bloodshot with a lack of sleep and mental exhaustion.

"Where's the ICU?"

The receptionist, seemingly understanding his situation, quickly gave him directions. No sooner then the words were out of her mouth, the young man was already heading up the hall.

"Poor guy," she said to herself " he must really care about the person."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The man suddenly burst into the intensive care waiting room, eyes scanning the faces, looking for a familiar one.

"Lori!" he exclaimed in obvious relief.

Said girl looked up upon hearing her name, and met the eyes of a pale, shaking young man. L. K Deichman.


	7. Nothing To Lose

AN: "Headlights" by The Classic Crime is the song this lyric comes from. I made up Deichman's first name since it's never mentioned in the series. School is kinda awesome this year, and I adopted a freshman, his name is Moop (not really, but that's what I call him). It's a lot of work though. Often I have homework in all seven classes and barely enough time to finish it all. I might no be updating as often, but I will keep writing. It just might take a bit longer, 'cause I have SATs and ACTs in a month.

Thanks To:

HPSmallCharm29: Don't worry, there is much more Declan-Kyle friendship-iness coming very soon!

WildCat9221: Thanks for reviewing and I'm really glad to hear that your dad's all right.

FiveForFighting09: Yep. One and the same! Personally, I don't think he was shown enough in the series, so he's making an appearance or two.

SpookyClaire: I love him too! In the show, it kinda irks me that he's never seen there after he and Kyle connect and become friends, so yeah, he's definitely in here. Declan's making an appearance too. Thanks so much for reviewing!

Superskt20: I don't know yet. I'm working on an ending, but there are still a few more chapters to go.

Someone: Right now I'm withholding a chapter or two because I'm not satisfied with them, but I'm fairly well into the story, so, I'm working. I promise!

And: chocolatesundae01, Cheeky-Chick1, and madjackmaxwell for adding my story to their favourites.

**Chapter 7: Nothing To Lose**

"Deichman," Lori asked in shock "what are you doing here?"

"I drove," he replied semi-sheepishly "I just couldn't stand not being here. He's my only friend."

"You came here alone?"

"No. Amanda and Declan managed to get here too. They had to stop to rest though."

Lori took the time to look closely at the man standing in front of her. He had obviously not slept since he had heard about the accident.

_He's been worried sick about Kyle,_ Lori thought.

Suddenly, all the comfort in the air vanished and was replaced with a strange intensity.

"How's he doing?"

"Not good. Now they're talking about transfusions. There was a problem with the blood bank in Tennessee; they couldn't get the blood up here. Apparently, surviving this long without the blood is a miracle."

"Man. There's nothing else they can do?"

"No. All anyone can do is wait."

"Damn."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Amanda and Declan arrived about an hour later to be greeted with the sight of Lori and Deichman sitting silently in the wooden waiting room chairs. No words needed to be spoken for the two to understand the gravity of the situation.

"Guys," Lori began, a feeble attempt at small talk " how did you talk your parents into letting you come here?"

"I pretty much got on her case and let her know about how much Kyle has done for me and why I needed to be here." Amanda smiled faintly.

" My mom was all for it," Deichman replied.

"My dad doesn't care. He won't notice if I'm gone for a week or two." Declan added quietly.

The group lapsed back into an awkward silence, none knowing what to say to the others for everyone to get the reassurance that they all needed.

"Thanks for coming," Lori all but whispered. But everyone heard her loud and clear.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Dr. Foreman was making a last round before his shift ended when he saw them. At first, he didn't know what to think. They all obviously knew each other. Perhaps it was more family. After a few seconds, his curiosity got the better of him and he approached the group.

"I'm Dr. Foreman, the doctor heading Kyle's case."

One by one the group introduced themselves.

"Declan McDonough"

"Amanda Bloom"

"Lucas Deichman"

"And as you know, I'm Lori Trager"

"Might I ask how you know Kyle?" Dr. Foreman questioned confused, noticing the different last names and lack of parents.

"We're his friends," Declan answered for everyone.

"Where are your parents?"

"In Seattle."

Dr. Foreman paused. They travelled thousands of miles to see their friend in the hospital. _ This Kyle must be an amazing guy._ He thought before he vocalized his notion. There was no hesitation in the responses that followed.

"He is. He stood up for me when no one else did. Even though at the time I only saw him as my girlfriend's weird brother."

" And he always knows when you're pretending to be happy and when you really are happy. He always knows what you really want, and will never hesitate in getting it for you, no matter how much it costs him."

" He was my friend when nobody else was. When I first met him, he was strange, really strange, and alone. He managed to find me, of all people, and become my first friend. He didn't care that people laughed at both of us behind our backs and then to our faces. He just shrugged it off and remained my friend."

"Wow…" was all Dr. Foreman could say. Kyle seemed like an absolutely amazing person. Now, more than ever it didn't seem fair for him to be in this position.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Twenty minutes later, Dr. Foreman was faced with yet another challenge. He had to get Kyle's legal guardians, Nicole and Steven Trager, to consent to a risky transfusion. The blood from the bank in Tennessee had been improperly stored, therefore rendering it useless. It would take days to find another source for the blood. Days that Kyle didn't have.

"Now, Mr. and Mrs. Trager, I'm going to need you to think this through completely before you make your decision." Dr. Foreman implored.

Both adults nodded as they pondered the risks of allowing the transfusion. They glanced at the unconscious figure of their almost son before turning and simultaneously uttering two words that could seal his fate.

"Do it."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

**After Note:** Just in case you couldn't tell, when the teens are talking to Dr, Foreman, It's Declan, Amanda, and then Deichman talking. In that order.


	8. We're Out of Time

AN: Well…it's been awhile. The time has flown by and I can't believe I haven't updated in this many months. Anyho'. Quick question. Should I stick to only one ending or should I post an alternate ending and the ending chapter? And sorry for the ending of the chapter ahead of time, I already know what is going to happen in the next chapter, so it shouldn't be too long a wait.

PS: I made a 1720 on my SATs!

Superkst20: Actually, this is fairly close to the end of the story. It's almost finished!

SpookyClaire: I'm glad you enjoy it! And you are the first one who noticed that the doctor was borrowed from House .

HPSmallCharm29: Not exactly soon, but an update nonetheless. I think I know what I'll do with Kyle…

CountryPersonel: Thank you!

lovePEOPLEandCOWBOY: Merci! J'essaye de ne pas mettre trop d'information dans des chapitres, mais j'essayerai de les rallonger. (Je suis désolé pour mon Français horrible. J'ai dû courir mes réponses par un traducteur. Je n'ai pas parlé français en années.)

"Awkward Last Words" by Armor For Sleep

**Chapter 8: We're Out Of Time**

Declan had never liked hospitals. To him the smell of hospitals were the scent of death being covered with bleach and ammonia. Just the smell of a hospital would make him queasy. That combined with the knowledge that his best friend was fighting for his life somewhere in this…place was enough to nearly make him sick to his stomach.

He sat in the waiting room, doing exactly what he had done in Seattle. Waiting. Waiting for news of Kyle's transfusion, which had taken place almost two hours ago.

_Waiting to know if he'll live or-,_ Declan stopped himself from finishing that thought.

_Of course Kyle's going to be all right. He's Kyle. He can't die._

His eyes scanned the room silently taking in all that they saw.

Deichman and Amanda, both deep in thought, both afraid of what could happen to their friend.

Josh, nervously pacing, as he had done ever since they had first heard of the transfusion.

And Lori. Lori. Her face was pale and she looked as if she had aged ten years in only a matter of days. Dried tears still clung to her face and she chewed on her lip anxiously.

_I guess nearly losing a brother will do that to you,_ he thought absently. Suddenly it all sank in.

_He could die. Kyle Trager, my best friend, Lori's __**brother**__, could die._

Mentally, he tried to pinpoint the exact moment when Kyle had become a Trager.

_He just is, _Declan finally decided. _Ever since I met him he has been. He always will be._

_No matter what happens._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Never had Amanda felt so helpless.

Sitting and pacing, it was a never-ending cycle. Sit for a few minutes, pace for a few minutes. Wait for news. Repeat.

The last update had brought news of a risky transfusion. Type O positive blood would be replacing the blood he had lost in the accident.

The next update was the one she was waiting for. She would know for certain whether Kyle would be okay or if he would…_No…_ she thought,_ this can't happen again…not to Kyle…_

She stood up and resumed her pacing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dr. Foreman sighed as he took Kyle's vital stats yet again. Things were not looking good. _'Low grade temperature, rising' _he noted on the charts. He shined his penlight into his patient's eyes. '_No pupil reaction to light. Still comatose.'_

He placed the chart in its holder at the foot of the bed and turned to leave. He paused in the doorway and spoke to the boy who he knew probably couldn't hear him.

"You need to get better. Your friends and family…they're all here for you. Get better and go home with them. Live."

The doctor closed the door behind him and walked away.

Behind the closed door, a frantic beeping began.


	9. Dying to Live

AN: I feel really stupid. I misplaced this chapter on my computer. Epic fail. Song: "Dying to Live" by Edgar Winter.

**Dying to Live**

Dr. Foreman had not yet reached the end of the ICU hallway before his pager began buzzing. He gave a small sigh before glancing at the screen.

"Rm. 426. Crash" The small electronic screen read.

426. The room he had just left. Kyle's room.

_He's crashing!_ Foreman thought as he turned and ran back down the hallway.

_...………………………………………………………………………………………………..._

Darkness.

_Why is it so dark?_

Strange sensations.

_Something's not right._

Darkness.

Nothing.

...

Dr. Foreman arrived at his destination within seconds. Nurses and machinery surrounded the young man on the bed.

"Charging. 200 Joules. Clear" One of the nurses yelled.

The body on the bed gave a jolt, but a heart rate did not appear.

"250 Joules. Clear."

No response.

"300 Joules."

No response.

"350 Jou-"

"Doctor. Maybe we should call it."

"Try again!"

Another jolt, but no change.

"Doctor..."

"Nine twenty PM."

Another nurse made note of the time in a manila folder.

Slowly, the medics filed out the door leaving only Dr. Foreman in the room.

The two minute silence seemed to last an eternity.

"Why?"

As he turned to leave the room a slight movement caught his eye.

There! There it was again!

He slowly turned back towards the bed.

If he hadn't been looking closely he would have missed it. A slight twitch of the hand and a small inhalation.

Startled, Foreman leaned closer to the young man's semi-motionless form.

A slightly pink flush graced his cheeks and from underneath his eyelids a slight flickering could be seen.

"Nurse!" Foreman shouted at a passing woman.

"Yes, Doctor Foreman," she replied.

"Get his chart. He's alive."

As she nodded, Foreman pulled his penlight from his lab coat pocket. He flicked it on, lifted Kyle's eyelids, and shone the small beam into his eyes. They dilated.

"He's waking."

The nurse returned with the charts seconds later.

"Get his family over. Tell them he's waking up."

Again, the nurse quickly scurried out of the room, but this time to the waiting area.

The Tragers, Amanda, Declan, and Deichman were all slumped into the plush chairs of the waiting room. It had been another long day and everyone was exhausted. Many pairs of tired eyes suddenly snapped to the nurse who had just entered. Maybe this time there was more news about Kyle.

"Trager?" The nurse called.

Quickly, everyone rose from their seats and huddled by the nurse.

"How is he doing?" Stephen asked nervously.

The nurse smiled softly before responding, "He's waking up and his vitals are stable. He'll make it."

Relief flooded through everyone's veins, and Declan gave a small laugh. His best friend would live, _he'd be okay_.

"When can we see him?" Lori asked.

"Dr. Foreman needs to run a couple more tests, but likely within the hour."

The group smiled and embraced each other happily knowing that soon their missing member would return and everything would be fine. Soon.


	10. Everyone Must Breathe

**Everyone Must Breathe**

Stephen and Nicole Trager filed nervously into room 421.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Trager," Dr. Foreman greeted; closing the chart he had been annotating.

"Hello, Doctor"

"Kyle is a very lucky young man. His injuries, although serious, are not life threatening. The bigger of our concerns was the blood loss. His body is accepting the new blood despite the different type," he smiled.

"He's recovering nicely and should regain consciousness soon."

The Tragers let out a sigh of relief.

"Do you know when he'll...," Stephen trailed off awkwardly.

Dr. Foreman gave a small grin.

"That depends. He could wake up within hours, there is nothing preventing that from happening now that his body can focus on simply repairing the damage he sustained in the accident. I'd say within twenty-four hours at the most, but seeing this young man's determination, likely sooner."

Nicole quietly slipped out of the room to relay the new information to the gathered teens in the lobby.

As she left, she noted a small motion out of the corner of her eye. A twinge and a fluttering of eyelashes before they slowly opened. She continued to the lobby, walking briskly, with newfound purpose.

"Guys," she said smiling in relief and happiness at her family and son's friends, "Kyle's awake."

A/N: So, I guess this is the end. It's odd. On one hand, I feel great having this finished, but on the other, I'm sad to see it done. I'd like give thanks to everyone who had read and especially those who reviewed and set me to alerts. It's you guys that kept this thing rolling, honestly, I probably would have given up without you guys. Lots of love and I hope to see you again.

Love,

Kiiyyt


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